On July 1st, 2015 the Gases and Welding Distributors Association (GAWDA) began offering a national association sponsored group health purchasing program offered through United Healthcare and sponsored through The Horton Group, an association insurance program sponsor based in Chicago.
This program is open to any current GAWDA member firm, and can be joined on the first of any month. The rates and plans will not be subject to change before July 1, 2016. As of October 1st, more than a dozen GAWDA member employers have already joined the program, with many more looking at December and January transition dates.
This program was developed due to the significant increases many firms are seeing in health insurance rates, and the substantial negative changes to health plans in most states, being offered to independent small employer groups. Most plans are facing sizable cost increases while reducing benefits to comply with the ACA law. In addition, many health insurance carriers have announced rate increases in individual and small groups of less than 100 employees of 35 percent or more around the country.
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